Engine water circulating system



Sepfc. 22, 1942. w. M. HAWKINS, JR 2,296,641

ENGINE WATER CIRCULATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 27, 1940 xy/ia Jill)". II IIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIII III u I mvENToR WILL- HM M. HIqWIf/AQcI/Z BY 4;.44 fiat;

ATTORNEY?- Patented Sept. 22, 1942 ENGINE WATER CIRCULATING SYSTEM William M. Hawkins, Jr., Detroit, Mich., assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application September 27, 1940, Serial No. 358,642

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to the water cooling system for a water cooled internal combustion engine and comprises an improvement for preventing air binding of cooling water passages in the engine block and of the water circulating pump.

It has been discovered that a great deal of air, or other gases such as the products of combustion, may accumulate in pockets in the water cooling passages of an internal combustion engine and seriously impair the efiiciency and life of the engine by preventing the circulation of water therethrough. It has also been found that such gases may accumulate in the water pump casing to such an extent that the ordinary water circulating pump may become partially or totaily air bound, so that the efiiciency and life of the engine are seriously endangered by the lessening of water circulation therethrough. The

principal object of the present invention is to.

provide means whereby such air binding is prevented by removing the air or gases from the water before it is circulated into the pump and from the pump into other passages of the water cooling system of the engine.

The principal object of the present invention is achieved by the use of a simple bleed opening established at the proper point in an existing structure, which bleed opening may or may not be increased in effectiveness by locating a flange or dam at such point in the circulating system as to cause the air bleed to be located at the top of a gas collecting bell or dome. Whether the air bleed is used alone or in conjunction with the darn, it is obvious that a very slight addition to the structure, made at a very small cost,

removes one of the principal causes of failure of engine water cooling systems.

Specifically, the present invention comprises a water cooling system for a water cooled internal combustion engine including a radiator, an out-' let passage from the water passages of the engine to the top of the radiator, a pump located at the forward end of the engine intermediate of the top and bottom of the radiator, a suction passage into said pump from the bottom of said radiator, an inlet passage to the water passages of the engine from the discharge side of the pump, a by-pass passage from the outlet passage to the suction side of the pump for the purpose of conducting water to the pump alone instead of to the radiator and pump when the engine is cold, a thermostatic two-way valve at the junction of the outlet passage and the bypass passage for controlling the how of cooling water through the radiator and pump in series or through the pump alone in response to the temperature of the water, a bleed hole extending from the by-pass passage into the outlet passage for the purpose of permitting air or other gases carried by the water to escape from the bypass passage into the outlet passage and thence through the usual vent of the radiator, and a dam placed at the junction of the outlet passage and the by-pass passage and so located as to define a gas trapping dome at the highest point of which the bleed hole is located.

The objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as the simplicity thereof, will be more apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein the preferred form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is aview in elevation of a water cooled internal combustion engine hav-- ing the present invention applied thereto; and,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken through a portion of the invention within the area defined by the circle on Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the engine HE is provided with a cylinder head it covering the cylinder spaces of the engine block i2 and having a gasket is interposed therebetween. The engine block it is provided with the usual cooling water passages Ml through which cooling wateris conducted in thermal exchange with the walls of the cylinders it in which the pistons ii operate. The cylinder head it is provided with internal passages it in communication with the passages Hi and forming part of the engine water circulating passages which are separated from the cylinder spaces by the gasket l3. It has been found that a gasket may be faulty, or applied in a faulty manner, so that a quantity of combustion gases may flow into the engine cooling water, or the engine cooling water may pick up air or gases in other fashions. The engine I0 is provided with a water cooling radiator 20 to the top of which the water is conducted through an outlet passage 2| and from the bottom of which the water is conducted through a suction passage 22 leading to the inlet ring 23 of a centrifugal pump 2t. This pump may be located so as to be driven by a belt 25 extending from the flywheel-pulley 26 fastened to the protruding end of the crankshaft (not shown) of the engine to a pulley 2'7 having thev engine cooling fan 28 mounted thereon and which is fastened to a shaft 39 having the water pump impeller 3| fixed thereto. The water which is discharged by the pump passes through an inlet passage 32 communicating with the water cooling pssages l4 in the engine block.

In order that the radiator may be by-passed when the engine is cold, there is provided a bypass passage 33 leading from the bottom of the outlet passage 2| into the inlet ring 23 of the pump. At th Junction of the outlet passage and the by-pass passage there is provided a thermostatic two-way valve 34, of any usual construction such as that shown, which includes a valve portion '35 and a valve seat 33 for closing the bottom of the outlet passage 2| and valve portions 31 for closing by-pass openings 33 leading to the by-pass passage 33, both the valve 35 and valve portions 31 being connected to a stem 39 extending from an expansible metallic bellows 40 mounted in a cage 4| suspended in the engine cooling water. The bellows 40 naturally contracts so that the openings 38 are open and cause the water to flow through the by-pass passage 33 until heated to a sufficient extent to cause expansion of bellows 40. When the bellows 40 expands it is restrained against downward movement by the cage 4| with the result that the stem 39 is raised thus causing the valve portion 35 to be raised from the valve seat 36 to open the passage 2|, and causing the valve portions 31 to close the by-pass openings 38 thus closing the by-pass passage 33.

In order to prevent the trapping of air or gases in the system, there is provided a bleed hole 45 communicating between the by-pass passage 33 and the outlet passage 2|. This bleed hole may be located in any conveniently accessible position, as shown it being beside the valve seat 33 so that it may be drilled through the casting before assembly of the outlet passage 2| to the engine block. This small opening, formed by a 4 simpl drilling operation, may be suflicient to remove all air and other gases trapped with the cooling water, but I have found it effective to add a flange or dam 46 at the junction of the outlet passage 2| and the by-pass passage 33 which forms an air dome surrounding the valve seat 38in which to trap bubbles of air and gases passing through the openings 38. This air dome increases the effectiveness of the bleed hole 45 since it holds back a large bubble of air or gas which might otherwise be forced to flow through the passage 33 before it could escape through the bleed hole.

The operation of the present invention is such as to relieve the harmful effects of air binding, which might result in the event that a faulty gasket or other means for admitting air or gases into the cooling water is present in the water circulating system, by providing a bleed hole and gas trapping means in the circulating system to permit the escape of air or gases into the radiator from which the air or gases may be exhausted through the usual vent.'

Having illustrated and described a preferre form of my invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same permits of modifications in arrangement and detail. All such modifications as come within the scope of the following claims are to be considered a part of my invention.

I claim:

1. A water cooling system for a water-cooled internal combustion engine comprising a radiator, an outlet passage from the water passages of the engine to the top of said radiator, a pump, a

suction passage to said pump from the bottom of aaoaoai said radiator, an inlet passage to the water passages of the engine from said pump, a by-pass passage from the engine to the suction side of said pump, a thermostatic, two-way valve directing the flow of water through said outlet passage or said by-pass passage for controlling the flow of cooling water through said radiator and pump or through said pump alone in response to the temperature of the water, a gas collecting chamber in' said by-pass passage, and a bleed hole extending from the top of said chamber into said outlet passage.

, 2. A water cooling system for a water-cooled internal combustion engine comprising a radiator, an outlet passage from the water passages of the engine to the top of said radiator, a pump, a suction passage to said pump from the bottom of said radiator, an inlet passage to the water passages of the engine from said pump, a by-pass passage from the engine to the suction side of said pump, a valve controlling the flow of water through said outlet passage or through said by-' cylinder block having water circulating passages therethrough, a water cooling radiator, a water circulating pump, a first system of circulation including conduits from said water circulating passages oi the cylinder block into said radiator, from said radiator into said pump and from said pump into said water circulating passages, a second system of water circulation branching from said first system and including conduits from said water circulating passages to said pump and from said pump to said water circulating passages, said first system thus being vented to atmosphere through said radiator and said second system of circulation being closed and by-passing said radiator, a two-way valve having a thermo static actuating element in the water leaving said circulating passages and valve elements arranged simultaneously to close said first system of water circulation and to open said second system of water circulation when the temperature of the water leaving said circulating passages is below a predetermined temperature, and simultaneously to open said first system of water circulation and to close said second system of water circulation when the temperature of the water leaving said water circulating passages is above said predetermined temperature, an air collecting dome at the junction of said first and second systems of water circulation, and an air bleed opening in said dome permanently connecting said water circulating passages of the cylinder block to said first system of circulation whereby airor other gases may escape from the engine block regardless of the positioning of said valve elements,

4. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block having water circulating passages therethrough, a water cooling radiator, a water circulating pump, a first system of circulation including conduits from said water circulating passages of the cylinder block into said radiator, from said radiator into said pump and from said pump into said water circulating passages, a second system of water circulation including conduits from said water circulating passages to said pump and from said pump to said water circulating passages, said first system thus being vented to atmosphere through said radiator and said second system of circulation being closed and by-passing said radiator, a two-way valve having a thermostatic actuating element in the 7 water leaving said circulating passages and valve elements arranged simultaneously to close said first system of water circulation and to open said second system of water circulation when the temperature of the water leavingsaid circulating passages is below a predetermined temperature, and simultaneously to open said first system of water circulation and to close said second system I of water circulation when the temperature of the water leaving said water circulating passages is above said predetermined temperature, an air is closed may be trapped long enough to permit the escape thereof through said bleed opening. WILLIAM M. HAWKINS, JR. 

